"During these days our common commitment has been to show a Church which is more and more united in Jesus Christ. You yourself, Holy Father, after your election as successor of Peter, have made important steps along this way towards unity". Cardinal Karl Lehmann, President of the German Bishops’ Conference, addressed the initial greeting during the meeting of the Pope this evening, in the archbishop’s palace in Cologne, with representatives from different christian denominations in Germany (about thirty communities with over 27 million faithful). Lehmann recalled the figure of Brother Roger, who died recently,remembering him as a "great teacher of the ecumenical spirit". The Cardinal then underlined that, in spite of the differences, there are above all many "meeting points" between the various denominations, and he thanked each representative for being present. "I hope our common work added Cardinal Lehmann can help ecumenism and christian unity in the world grow". After the introduction, a greeting was addressed by the Lutheran Bishop Wolfgang Huber from Berlin and, then the speech by Pope Benedict XVI.
